as in detectives
a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons
the popular TV sleuth lives a much more action-packed life than do his real-world counterparts
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Recent Examples of sleuths
Baldoni’s extensive filing also made its way online, with court documents available for internet sleuths to pick through and draw their own conclusions.
—
Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 9 May 2026
In the missing scientist case, would-be sleuths looked elsewhere and found a cluster of four people in New Mexico who went missing within the past year and have not been found.
—Faye Flam, Scientific American, 7 May 2026
Independent sleuths can interfere with active investigations.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 4 May 2026
Online sleuths have been successful in flagging suspicious trades such as the bet that prosecutors say Van Dyke placed on Maduro's capture.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
Online sleuths began digging into the rift, leading to a wave of negative press about Lively.
—Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 28 Apr. 2026
Social media sleuths had already dug up wild comments from Russini about Vrabel and her husband before Vrabel’s decision to step away on Wednesday, but the additional posts that were found appeared to be too much for Russini.
—Ryan Gaydos Outkick, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Horrified by the secrets revealed by Bateman, Christine Marie and Katas were emboldened to go undercover as amateur sleuths.
—Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026
But as sleuths have noted, there is publishing precedent for a Communion with a colon attached.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 9 May 2026
In the missing scientist case, would-be sleuths looked elsewhere and found a cluster of four people in New Mexico who went missing within the past year and have not been found.
—Faye Flam, Scientific American, 7 May 2026
Independent sleuths can interfere with active investigations.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 4 May 2026
Online sleuths have been successful in flagging suspicious trades such as the bet that prosecutors say Van Dyke placed on Maduro's capture.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
Online sleuths began digging into the rift, leading to a wave of negative press about Lively.
—Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 28 Apr. 2026
Social media sleuths had already dug up wild comments from Russini about Vrabel and her husband before Vrabel’s decision to step away on Wednesday, but the additional posts that were found appeared to be too much for Russini.
—Ryan Gaydos Outkick, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Horrified by the secrets revealed by Bateman, Christine Marie and Katas were emboldened to go undercover as amateur sleuths.
—Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026
But as sleuths have noted, there is publishing precedent for a Communion with a colon attached.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleuths
Noun
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Bastrop County detectives found evidence that Aviles had been dragged, strangled and assaulted, noting mud on her clothing and feet, bruising on her neck, chin and lip, and blood on her face and the exterior of her car.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
13 May 2026
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As their investigation continues, detectives ask anyone with more information to come forward.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
Noun
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The investigators began by interviewing the neighbors.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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Police later said investigators connected the incidents as additional shootings were reported throughout the city.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sleuths.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleuths. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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